If you've had your foot reconstructed, I have questions for you

[minkydog]

I posted earlier this week about my foot. I have severe post-tibial tendon dysfunction which now needs surgery. One thing I forgot to ask is realistically how long will I have to stay out of work? I realize that's different for everyone, but I'm wondering--how's the pain at 2 wks,3wks? Is it realistic to think that I could go back to work that soon. I"m a school nurse, so it's probably something that I can mostly do sitting down. I don't plan on running anywhere soon.

 

[Christine]

No help. I just wish I hadn't read this. My foot is *still* bothering me and now I'm getting worried because it doesn't seem to get better. I hope I'm not on the road to surgery because I don't think I can do it.

I've been in a big ankle boot cast for 2 weeks. Some days my foot feels really good and just about pain free and then, even with the cast, it flares up again (like this weekend). I think my foot moves around in the cast too much, at times.

I read about the surgery and it sounds like an 8 week recovery. If it is anything like a bunion surgery, they actually just want you off your feet for that amount of time. For people I know that have had ANY kind of foot surgery, the complications they get are from being upright too soon and just simply putting pressure on the foot is a problem. I'm betting this surgery is no different.

This cast I have pretty much restricts my movement; however, it does not get rid of ANY of the pressure on my foot while standing. I don't think that would be good for post-surgery.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My sister had ankle reconstruction and if you are indeed having reconstruction, the recovery time is extensive and involved.

You need to speak with the surgeon and have them explain the recovery in great detail. Ask about complications as well.

Did the surgeon explain things to you?

 

[Christine]

My sister had ankle reconstruction and if you are indeed having reconstruction, the recovery time is extensive and involved.

You need to speak with the surgeon and have them explain the recovery in great detail. Ask about complications as well.

Did the surgeon explain things to you?

Minkydog,

I may not have read correctly what you having done. If you are having the post-tibial tendon reconstructed/debrided, it is an 8 week recovery. If you are having that done plus arch reconstruction, I think it's a bit more. And it is supposed to be off your feet at all times.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Minkydog,

I may not have read correctly what you having done. If you are having the post-tibial tendon reconstructed/debrided, it is an 8 week recovery. If you are having that done plus arch reconstruction, I think it's a bit more. And it is supposed to be off your feet at all times.

That is what I thought. Now my sister's was extremely intense. She was not allowed out of the bed for 8 weeks. Her recovery time was 6 months. But she had to learn how to walk again and all that jazz.

And then she developed a blood clot since she had to be bedridden and get on the coumadin.

 

[marcyinPA]

There is a teenager at our church who had the whole foot/arch reconstruction done on both feet (at different times). He was 13 when he had it done. The healing time was very long and very painful. He was homebound schooled for several months, and on crutches for quite a while.

My son has extremely flat feet (his arches protrude which make his feet very wide). We were concerned that he may have to have the same surgery as the boy from church. Our podiatrist advised us against it if he wasn't in severe foot pain. He isn't, unless he doesn't wear his orthotics or if he's on his feet for an unreasonable amount of time.

 

[donac]

No help. I just wish I hadn't read this. My foot is *still* bothering me and now I'm getting worried because it doesn't seem to get better. I hope I'm not on the road to surgery because I don't think I can do it.

I've been in a big ankle boot cast for 2 weeks. Some days my foot feels really good and just about pain free and then, even with the cast, it flares up again (like this weekend). I think my foot moves around in the cast too much, at times.

I read about the surgery and it sounds like an 8 week recovery. If it is anything like a bunion surgery, they actually just want you off your feet for that amount of time. For people I know that have had ANY kind of foot surgery, the complications they get are from being upright too soon and just simply putting pressure on the foot is a problem. I'm betting this surgery is no different.

This cast I have pretty much restricts my movement; however, it does not get rid of ANY of the pressure on my foot while standing. I don't think that would be good for post-surgery.

Bunion surgery is not as bad as it used to be. I had it done June 26 of last year. My foot was in a cast when I came home. The doctor did want me to sit with my foot up when I was sitting down but he didn't want me to just sit around too much. I was on crutches from Friday to Wed. On Wed the doctor told me that I could go down to a cane. ( I was really happy to go to a cane. My dh and sons left me alone in the family room for hours on end without asking me if I needed anything. The only hint they got that I needed anything was when I got up and then they would yell at me for being up). I was only on prescription medication from Friday to Wednesday. After that it was over the counter medication. The cast was changed a few times as it got too big as the swelling went down. I did have to go to 4 weeks of physical therapy but at the end of 7 weeks I went to DW and spent 4 days without a wheelchair.

Good luck and make sure you have a good physical therapist. They will make all the differencce.

 

[minkydog]

My sister had ankle reconstruction and if you are indeed having reconstruction, the recovery time is extensive and involved.

You need to speak with the surgeon and have them explain the recovery in great detail. Ask about complications as well.

Did the surgeon explain things to you?

Oh, yes, he explained the no-weight-bearing for 6-8weeks, in the walking boot for another 8-12wks, expected recovery time 6-12 mnths. The one question I forgot to ask was specifically how many days will I be unable to work.

Minkydog,

I may not have read correctly what you having done. If you are having the post-tibial tendon reconstructed/debrided, it is an 8 week recovery. If you are having that done plus arch reconstruction, I think it's a bit more. And it is supposed to be off your feet at all times.

It will be the PTT reconstruct, with tendon transfer, heel reconstuction and arch fusion( don't remember all the fancy words, but basically they're going to cut my heel in half, move it over, fuse my forefoot and transfer a tendon. I won the foot lottery.)

My son has extremely flat feet (his arches protrude which make his feet very wide). We were concerned that he may have to have the same surgery as the boy from church. Our podiatrist advised us against it if he wasn't in severe foot pain. He isn't, unless he doesn't wear his orthotics or if he's on his feet for an unreasonable amount of time.

I have had flat feet all my life, like my mother and my father. I severely injured the right foot about 9 years ago when the post-tibial tendon partially ruptured and then was not treated correctly. I've had issues with it off and on. I broke that ankle 3 years ago also, but didn't need surgery then.I had a lot of pain and trouble with it and the doctor said I might need surgery somewhere down the road. When I asked him how I would know when I needed surgery he said, "When you come in crawling on your hands & knees BEGGING for it." I think that day may be here.

Last summer I *re-injured* the stupid thing walking around New Orleans(darn cobble stones!) Got it treated with steroids, brace, weeks of PT. MRI revealed no recent tears but lots of damage to the tendon and of course, severely collapsed arch. We have a lot of flat-footed people in my family, but no one has had the severe injury and pain that I've had so no surgery for them.

I plan to get a second opinion before I do anything about this, but I'm pretty sure surgery is the only thing left to try. This ankle hurts all the time, even at night or when I'm sitting. It's like getting an electric shock to the ankle every 1-2 minutes. So I know the PT nerve is involved too.

I fully expect this surgery to be the most painful thing I've ever gone through. I mean, the doctor told me I'd have between 4-7 screws holding my foot together when they finish up. I've had a thumb reconstruction which was pretty bad, but I was able to manage the pain and get back to work fairly quickly(<2wks). However, I wasn't walking around on my thumb. I remember what it was like when I broke my ankle, being off the foot and being on crutches.

I"m just trying to plan for when the surgery can be done. I work for a school(started last week!) so I don't want to have to take much time off. I have a one week Spring Break coming up but I don't think it's going to give me enough time to recover. THis is such a balancing act--I'm trying not to further damage this ankle while waiting for the exact right time to do it. At the moment it's looking more like late May-early June,which will pretty much ruin our summer plans. There's also the issue of what to do with Christian--when he's out of school we have limited help with him. My DH can't take care of me and my foot, while chasing after Christian. But if I do this surgery during the school year when we actually have some assistance, I"m afraid it might jeopardize my new job. And even if I have the surgery done in late May, will I even be able to go back in the fall? School starts Aug 2~!

This is really feeling complicated to me...

 

[Christine]

I think if they tell you "no weight bearing for 6-8 weeks" then that is the amount of time you will need off work. For the people I've known that have had serious foot surgery done, when they say "no weight bearing" they mean NONE AT ALL. Not even to hop into your car and then hop into your job. None. You basically lay on the couch and crawl everywhere you need to be in the house. This is one reason that my dad cannot get the ankle fusion. He has no one to help him for that amount of time and their house isn't equipped for that. His doc was very serious about him being totally off his feet.

I suppose if you could get hooked up with a wheelchair and you could get plenty of assistance into the house, into your school, etc. you could go to work before that period of time was up.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Right, no weight bearing for 8 weeks means you will not be able to work in that time frame, period.

 

[kerstfan1]

im waiting to go to the hospital right now have to be there in less then 2 hours

im having bunion and big toe surgery and im thinking i will be back at work around easter

 

[donac]

im waiting to go to the hospital right now have to be there in less then 2 hours

im having bunion and big toe surgery and im thinking i will be back at work around easter

Good luck. I only had bunion surgery but I could have been back within 2 weeks.

 

[babytrees]

Oh, yes, he explained the no-weight-bearing for 6-8weeks, in the walking boot for another 8-12wks, expected recovery time 6-12 mnths. The one question I forgot to ask was specifically how many days will I be unable to work.



It will be the PTT reconstruct, with tendon transfer, heel reconstuction and arch fusion( don't remember all the fancy words, but basically they're going to cut my heel in half, move it over, fuse my forefoot and transfer a tendon. I won the foot lottery.)



I have had flat feet all my life, like my mother and my father. I severely injured the right foot about 9 years ago when the post-tibial tendon partially ruptured and then was not treated correctly. I've had issues with it off and on. I broke that ankle 3 years ago also, but didn't need surgery then.I had a lot of pain and trouble with it and the doctor said I might need surgery somewhere down the road. When I asked him how I would know when I needed surgery he said, "When you come in crawling on your hands & knees BEGGING for it." I think that day may be here.

Last summer I *re-injured* the stupid thing walking around New Orleans(darn cobble stones!) Got it treated with steroids, brace, weeks of PT. MRI revealed no recent tears but lots of damage to the tendon and of course, severely collapsed arch. We have a lot of flat-footed people in my family, but no one has had the severe injury and pain that I've had so no surgery for them.

I plan to get a second opinion before I do anything about this, but I'm pretty sure surgery is the only thing left to try. This ankle hurts all the time, even at night or when I'm sitting. It's like getting an electric shock to the ankle every 1-2 minutes. So I know the PT nerve is involved too.

I fully expect this surgery to be the most painful thing I've ever gone through. I mean, the doctor told me I'd have between 4-7 screws holding my foot together when they finish up. I've had a thumb reconstruction which was pretty bad, but I was able to manage the pain and get back to work fairly quickly(<2wks). However, I wasn't walking around on my thumb. I remember what it was like when I broke my ankle, being off the foot and being on crutches.

I"m just trying to plan for when the surgery can be done. I work for a school(started last week!) so I don't want to have to take much time off. I have a one week Spring Break coming up but I don't think it's going to give me enough time to recover. THis is such a balancing act--I'm trying not to further damage this ankle while waiting for the exact right time to do it. At the moment it's looking more like late May-early June,which will pretty much ruin our summer plans. There's also the issue of what to do with Christian--when he's out of school we have limited help with him. My DH can't take care of me and my foot, while chasing after Christian. But if I do this surgery during the school year when we actually have some assistance, I"m afraid it might jeopardize my new job. And even if I have the surgery done in late May, will I even be able to go back in the fall? School starts Aug 2~!

This is really feeling complicated to me...

Minky-like I told you on the other thread I am having surgery on my ankle on Wednesday.....the dr. signed an order for me to not being able to bear weight for 6 weeks.....which means no working....I am so afraid to even try the crutches until I get the okay to put 20% weight on it.....in about 3 weeks.

Good luck on figuring it out!!

 

[babytrees]

I forgot to say I will have 6 -8 screws and one platein my right ankle.....maybe you can follow my progress? I am on blood thinners right now because of a family history of throwing blood clots and I don't want to have to worry about that while I am pretty much stuck in my bed.

 

[babytrees]

I think if they tell you "no weight bearing for 6-8 weeks" then that is the amount of time you will need off work. For the people I've known that have had serious foot surgery done, when they say "no weight bearing" they mean NONE AT ALL. Not even to hop into your car and then hop into your job. None. You basically lay on the couch and crawl everywhere you need to be in the house. This is one reason that my dad cannot get the ankle fusion. He has no one to help him for that amount of time and their house isn't equipped for that. His doc was very serious about him being totally off his feet.

I suppose if you could get hooked up with a wheelchair and you could get plenty of assistance into the house, into your school, etc. you could go to work before that period of time was up.

I have a wheelchair and with the pain my ankle gives me just being upright I am thankful to not have to go out before Wednesday....it's a 45 minute ordeal to get into the car which involves my rolling desk chair through my house...transfer to the wheelchair......down the walkway...and figuring out how to get me into the car. Painful, painful, painful

going to the bathroom is about 10 minutes and it's right across the hall!!!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I forgot to say I will have 6 -8 screws and one platein my right ankle.....maybe you can follow my progress? I am on blood thinners right now because of a family history of throwing blood clots and I don't want to have to worry about that while I am pretty much stuck in my bed.

Good thinking. My sister got a blood clot when she had her ankle rebuilt.

It took a LONG time for her to recover. She was in a wheelchair for quite awhile. The weight bearing thing is may not go as planned. It will depend on your recovery.

Good Luck and I hope you have people to help you.

 

[minkydog]

I have a wheelchair and with the pain my ankle gives me just being upright I am thankful to not have to go out before Wednesday....it's a 45 minute ordeal to get into the car which involves my rolling desk chair through my house...transfer to the wheelchair......down the walkway...and figuring out how to get me into the car. Painful, painful, painful

going to the bathroom is about 10 minutes and it's right across the hall!!!

I remember those days. When is your surgery? I broke my ankle 3 years ago, thankfully didn't have to have it surgically pinned. But I was non-weight-bearing for 6 weeks. I about killed myself with those crutches. I have stairs everywhere. ANd all my bathrooms are on the second floor! I had rolling chairs on both floors, crutches, a walker. On thing I learns last time was get a shower chair! It's virtually impossible to get into the shower or bath while standing on one foot. I used a lawn chair, which was comfortable but tippy. A shower chair is much more stable and easier to get into, IMO. And I'd get a cast cover--trying to keep that cast dry for 6 weeks was very difficult. If it gets very wet it gets real stinky.

I have come to the decision that I will try to hold off surgery until school gets out May 22, if I can. I went to work today and tried not to walk on it much, but it is killing me tonight. I work tomorrow and Wednesday, too. I really hope it's not going to be like this for another 4 months. I just started a new job last week!

 

[babytrees]

I remember those days. When is your surgery? I broke my ankle 3 years ago, thankfully didn't have to have it surgically pinned. But I was non-weight-bearing for 6 weeks. I about killed myself with those crutches. I have stairs everywhere. ANd all my bathrooms are on the second floor! I had rolling chairs on both floors, crutches, a walker. On thing I learns last time was get a shower chair! It's virtually impossible to get into the shower or bath while standing on one foot. I used a lawn chair, which was comfortable but tippy. A shower chair is much more stable and easier to get into, IMO. And I'd get a cast cover--trying to keep that cast dry for 6 weeks was very difficult. If it gets very wet it gets real stinky.

I have come to the decision that I will try to hold off surgery until school gets out May 22, if I can. I went to work today and tried not to walk on it much, but it is killing me tonight. I work tomorrow and Wednesday, too. I really hope it's not going to be like this for another 4 months. I just started a new job last week!

It's Wednesday morning. I will have another splint for a while and then a cast....I am hoping to get a cast cover because this splint goes up my leg farther than the other one.....and it gets wet easier.